Automatic circuit breaker



y 1932. c. H. HADLEY ET AL 1,858,191

AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Feb 25, 1931 gwxnntozo ,B. L- l'laol 18Vdttozneq Patented May 10, 1932 CLAIB- H. HADLEY AND BERYL L. HADLEY, OFIPAOITIA COLORADO AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT BREAKER Application filed February25, 1981. Serial at. 518,251.

The present invention relates to circuit breakers and more particularlyto automatic circuit breakers.

An object of this invention is to provide a I circuit breaker which maybe used in circuits of vehicles, airplanes or the like so as to breakthe electric circuit when the vehicle, airplane or the like is tilted orturned over or otherwise moved out of its normal operative position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a. circuit breaker ofthis kind which will break the electric circuit in which it is interosedand which will maintain the circuit in broken or open condition untilthe breaker is manually operated to again close the circuit.

A further object of this invention is to provide a circuit breaker ofthis kind which may be interposed at any point within an electriccircuit and which will break the circuit when the device to which it isattached is turned or moved out of the ordinary operative position.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a circuit breakerof this kind which may be attached to a vehicle or airplane and whichwill break the electric circuit or circuits in the vehicle or plane whenthe vehicle or plane is in a collision or is stopped abruptly, so as toopen the electric circuits and prevent short circuiting thereof.

The above and various other objects and advantages of this inventionwill in part be described in and in part be understood from thefollowing detailed description of the present preferred embodiment, thesame being illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 isa sectional view partly in detail taken substantially through the centerof a device constructed according to the preferred embodiment of thisinvention, and

Figure 2 is a detail bottom plan view of the device.

Referring to the drawings wherein like numerals of referencedesignatecorresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral designatesan electrode or bolt for receiving a terminal or wire, the electrode 10comprising a threaded bolt 11 having a headed inner end portion 12 and anut 13 threadably mounted thereon so as to secure the terminal to theelectrode 10.

A second look nut 14 is threadably mounted on the bolt 11, and aninsulating sleeve or collar 15 is disposed about the upper end of thebolt 11, this sleeve 15 being provided with an annular flange 16 forengagement with the head 12 of the bolt 11, and a washer 17 isinterposed between the nut 14 and the sleeve 15.

A second electrode generally designated as 18 is disposed about thesleeve 14 and is partially embedded in a cup-shaped member gen-.

erally designated as 19. The washer 17 and the flange 16 engage thecentral portion of the electrode 18 so as to hold the electrode 18 intight engagement about the central or first electrode 10. A portion ofthe cup member 19 is disposed below the bottom of the electrode 18 andis interposed between the bottom of the electrode and the washer 17 soas to insulate the electrode 18 from the electrode 10.

This electrode 18 comprises an elongated bar or plate 20 which isprovided with apertures 21 adjacent the outer ends thereof whereby toreceive attaching bolts or the like. The central portion of the bar orplate 20 is provided with an upwardly and outwardly flared cup member 22which is referably constructed of metal in the form 0 copper or thelike, and is constructed integrally with the plate 20. This metal cupmember 22 is disposed within the outer cup 19. A liquid conductor 23 ismounted within'the inner cup member 22 and is adapted to establish andmaintain a connection between the electrode 10 and the electrode 18.This liquid 23 may be of any desired composition to effectivelyestablish an electrical connection between the two spaced electrodes,but is preferably composed of mercury or the like. 1

The inner cup 22 is provided with an extension 24 which is preferablyconstructed of the same material as the outer cup member 19, thismaterial being preferably of insulating composition such as bakelite,hard rubber or the like. The extension 24 divides the outer cup 19 intotwo compartments, an inner compartment 25 and an outer compartpose forwill be hereinin this chamber 26 until the valve 30 has been opened soas to permit the liquid to flow back into the inner chamber 25.

A cap generally designated as 31 is threadably mounted on the outer cup19, this cap 31 being provided with a downwardly extending baffle 32which terminates in spaced relation to the top of the electrode 10, thisbaffle 32 being constructed so as to prevent undue splashing or movementof the liquid 23 when the vehicle is in motion. The extension 24terminates at a point spaced inwardly from the inner surface of the cap31 so that the liquid 23 may readily flow from the inner chamber 25 tothe outer chamber 26 when the vehicle is tilted to a predetermined deree.

The inclination of the cup 22 is pre erably such that when the vehicleis tilted to what might be determined a dangerous degree, the entireliquid 23 will flow from the inner chamber 25 to the outer chamber 26and be disposed in the chamber 28 beneath the baffle inner chamber 25and form a connection between the electrode 18 and the electrode 10.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that a simple automatic circuitbreaker has been devised which will prevent short circuiting of any ofthe circuits of the vehicle upon turning over of the vehicle or when thevehicle has collided with an object or another vehicle. It will, ofcourse, be understood that a great many of accidents at resent occurringare the result of burning of the vehicle caused by short circuiting ofthe source of electric supply, but where a device constructed accordingto the preferred embodiment of this invention has been interposed in themain electric circuit and preferably between the battery and the frameof the vehicle, when the vehicle is tilted unduly or collided with anobject, the fluid 23 will be carried over the top of the insulatinextension 24 into the outer chamber 26, t ereby breaking the connectionbetween the inner electrode 10 and the outer turned so as to move thehead 33 away from the seat 34 and thereby permit the li uid 23 to flowback into the inner chamber an thereby re-establish the electricalconnection between the inner and outer electrodes 10 and 18,respectively. baflie 27, when the vehicle is righted, the liquid will beheld within the chamber 28 by this baflle 27 so thatit will not flowover the outer surface of the extension 24 and into the inner chamber25.

While we have stated that the circuit breaker herein disclosed may beattached or .interposed in the electric circuit between the battery andthe ground or the frame of the vehicle, we do not wish to be limited tothis particular position as the circuit breaker may e interposed at anydesired point in the main circuit of the vehicle so as to break the maincircuit and the supplemental circuits when the vehicle is tilted or hascollided with another object.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications maybe made in the details of construction and design of the abovespecifically described embodiment of this invention without departingfrom the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restrictedonly by the scope of the following claims.

We claim 1. A circuit breaker of the character described comprising acasing of non-conducting composition, a pair of electrodes mountedwithin the casing in spaced relation to each other, an invertedfrustro-conical baflle mounted within the casing and dividing the casinginto an inner and an outer chamber, said bafiie terminating at the upperend thereof in spaced relation to the ad oining wall of the casingwhereby to provide a continuous passage from the inner chamber to theouter chamber, a liquid conductor mounted within the inner chamber andnormally contacting with each of said electrodes said casing having apassage connecting the inner and the outer chambers adjacent the lowerend thereof, and a normally closed valve member closing said opening.

2. A circuit breaker of the character described comprising a casing, apair of electrodes mounted in the casin in spaced relation to eachother, an upwa'r ly and outwardly inclined partition member mountedwithin the casing and dividing the interior of the easing into an innerand an outer chamber said partition terminating at the upper end thereofin spaced relation to the adjoining wall of the casing, said outerchamber having the bottom thereof inclined with respect Through the useof the inner to the horizontal, a liquid conductor mounted within theinner chamber and normally connecting the spaced electrodes, a bafiiecarried by the casing anddividing the outer chamber 5 into two chambers,said casing having a assage connecting one of said outer cham ers withsaid inner chamber, and a manually controlled valve member normallyclosing said passage.

3. A circuit breaker of the character described comprising a cup-shapedcasing, a pair of spaced electrodes mounted within said casing in spacedrelation to each other, means dividlng the casing into an inner and anouter chamber, a cap threadably mountedon said casing, a baflie carriedby said cap and extending downwardly into the inner chamber, and aliquid conductor mounted within the inner chamber and normallyconnecting said spaced electrodes.

4. A circuit breaker of the character described comprising a casing, apair of electrodes mounted within the casing in spaced relation to eachother, a frustro-conical partition dividing the casing into an inner andan outer chamber, a cap for said casing, a bafile carried by said capand extending downwardly into the interior of the inner chamber andterminating closely adjacent one of said electrodes, said partitionterminating at the upper end thereof closely adjacent the inner surfaceof said capwhereb to provide a continuous passage from the inner to theouter chambers, said outer chamber having the lower edge portion thereofinclined wit respect to the horizontal, a bafile disposed within saidouter chamber, 'said casing having a passa e connecting said inner andsaid outer cham ers and disposed at the lower- 40 most point of theinclined bottom of said outer chamber, a manually operated valve membernormally closing said assage, and a liquid conductor mounted within saidinner chamber and normally connecting said electrodes, said conductorupon tilting of the casin being adapted to flow from said inner to saidouter chamber whereby to break the contact between said electrodes andto maintain said contact broken until said valve member has been openedwhereby to rmit the conductor to gravitatingly flow zck to said innerchamber.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures.

CLAIR H. HADLEY.

BERYL L. HADLEY.

